JACKSON, Miss. (Interstat) — A pair of SWAC rivals sharing the same nickname will meet Saturday when the Grambling Tigers visit the Jackson State Tigers at Lee Williams Athletic Center.

Both teams enter the Jan. 31 contest looking to build momentum in conference play. Grambling stands at 8-10 overall after a 71-53 home loss to Southern on Jan. 17. Jackson State, 6-14 overall, is coming off a narrow 66-65 road victory at Florida A&M on Monday.

The matchup features a compelling duel at guard between two of the league’s top scorers. Jackson State will rely heavily on senior Daeshun Ruffin, who is in the midst of a spectacular individual run. Over his last seven games, Ruffin is averaging 28.6 points and 8.1 assists, including a 30-point, 6-assist performance in the win over Florida A&M and a 39-point, 10-assist outing in a loss to Alabama A&M.

Grambling will counter with junior Jamil Muttilib, who scored 22 points in a Jan. 12 loss to Florida A&M and is averaging 10.5 points over his last five contests. In the teams’ most recent game, Muttilib logged 29 minutes with 10 points in the loss to Southern.

Historically, the game is a pivotal SWAC East vs. West division clash. Grambling has shown resilience at home with recent wins over Texas Southern and Prairie View but has struggled on the road. Jackson State’s conference play has been defined by high-scoring affairs, with the team averaging 84.2 points in its five SWAC wins.

The venue could provide an edge for Jackson State, which is 4-3 at home this season compared to a 2-11 record away from Jackson. Grambling is 1-7 in true road games.

Following this contest, Grambling will travel to face Alcorn State on Feb. 2. Jackson State’s next game is at home against Southern on the same date.